Kent Weiser - ESU Athletic Director
September 9, 2008
ESU Athletic Director will answer questions about ESU sports. Submit your questions.
Moderator: Our guest today is Kent Weiser, director of athletics at Emporia State University. Weiser has held that job since August 1999. One technical matter. Because of a computer glitch, the chat site had to be rebuilt this morning. Questions that had already been submitted had to be copied to the new site. This will make it look as though "glarson" is asking all those questions, but the screen names of the original questioners will be included in teh question. Thishould cause no problems, but if it does, please bear with us. We'll start will a question about a sport a reader would like to see return to ESU.
glarson: Posted by landinkansas Kent, Any chance of resurecting the golf program at ESU?
Kent Weiser: Hi landinkansas, thanks for the question. As a former collegiate golf coach, I like the idea of having golf teams. Before we would add them though, we'd want to make sure we are financially stable enough to support them. This means finding new sources of revenue, since I don't believe that taking money away from existing programs to help fund a new one is the way to go. I would say that the next programs that ESU would add will most likely be golf, but I'm afraid I don't see that happening in the near future.
glarson: Posted by esuks - September 7, 2008, 11:06 p.m. I would like to know why the softball team is not fully funded on scholarship money? I know they have done great the last five years with what theyhave. But Mr. Wiser have you ever thought that with the full alotment they might not just get to the National Championship, they might just WIN the thing. That little bit of money would have been nice to see two of the last three years. Thank you
Kent Weiser: Hi esuks, good questions that I'm afraid will require long answers...I'll try to keep them brief. All programs, including softball, are allotted a certain amount of scholarship money by the Athletics Department at the beginning of every fiscal year. Sports programs can spend more than what they are allotted on scholarships, but those funds must come from private donations to each sport's Winning Edge Account at the ESU Foundation. We have been very fortunate to have outstanding donors for our softball program, which has indeed allowed us to increase the total amount we award in that program. The term "fully funded" is rather confusing. A big part of what each program spends on scholarships depends on where the student-athlete is from. For example, a tuition scholarship for a student-athlete from Kansas costs the sports program $2,068 each semester. If that student-athlete is from a NEARR state, the cost is $2,891 per semester. If that student-athlete is from any other state, or is an international student, the cost is $6,324 per semester. The reason this is important is that a program may reach their equivalency limit with their scholarship and Winning Edge funds if all or most of their student-athletes are from Kansas. At the same time, the total amount of scholarship dollars spent might be very high with just a few student-athletes if they are from out of state or international, thus it will appear they are not offering many equivalencies. As far as softball and baseball, a few years ago we were able to greatly improve the facilities at Trusler Sports Complex with the addition of the Hanna Clubhouse. This facility, build with private funds, has played a big part in the success of our recruiting efforts. Lastly, I'm not sure extra scholarship money would have guaranteed National Championships in softball. Additional scholarship money would only be of use if we would have found, and spent those funds, on student-athletes better than the ones we had. In my opinion, that would have been difficult.
glarson: Posted by moderator - September 8, 2008, 7:08 a.m. It would be great to have the ESU Soccer team play on campus full time. How much does ESU pay TRYSA to play out there? The money saved from paying TRYSA could be used for other needs in the soccer program.
Kent Weiser: One of the less known benefits of the artificial surface on Jones field is the fact that it opened up space on what we call the west practice field. Now, the football program can practice on Jones field rain or shine, whereas before we had to protect the game field, putting most of the scheduling burden on our practice fields north of the student recreation center. Because of that opportunity, our soccer program has been using the west practice field for most of their practices this year. In addition, we played our first game on the ESU field last Sunday, and have three more games scheduled for that field later this season. TRYSA has been a great partner of ESU Soccer, and it is a relationship we would like to continue. We pay TRYSA $300 per game, which I believe to be a very fair price. With that being said, I believe you will see more and more games scheduled on the ESU field in years to come. The ESU field does not have lights, a scoreboard, a press box or a sound system, so we've got some work to do on it. Thanks for the question.
glarson: Posted by quarterback - September 8, 2008, 2:33 p.m. Under the new ESU president has funding increased for ESU athletic programs?
Kent Weiser: Hi quarterback, yes, funding for athletics has grown during Dr. Lane's presidency. He is a strong supporter of our efforts.
glarson: Posted by quarterback - September 8, 2008, 2:34 p.m. How does your funding compare to other programs you compete against?
Kent Weiser: Among Division II programs nationally, we are right at the average. In our conference, two institutions skew the average funding. Those two of course are Central Missouri and the University of Nebraska-Omaha. It is important to note that those two schools are over twice the size of ESU, and have more resources than all others in the MIAA. Among the remaining nine institutions, ESU is again about average. Early in my career, a mentor of mine taught me that it's not how much you spend, but rather, on the value you receive for your dollar. Programs with large budgets have an advantage in that they can cover up their mistakes by throwing money at them. At ESU, we do not have that luxury. We must stretch our dollar as far as we can, and make sure we use our funds wisely. I hope that the people who contribute to our athletic program know we are good stewards of our funds, and that their investment makes a difference. Good questions.
glarson: Posted by moderator - September 8, 2008, 2:38 p.m. What can the community do to support the athletics programs?
Kent Weiser: Hi moderator, what a great question, and I really thank you for asking it. Attending games is the most important way that comes to mind. When I visit with recruits of every sport, I talk about how our community shows its pride in ESU by the number of people who attend games. Our average attendance in basketball is consistently one of the largest in the nation. Baseball and softball attendance has grown dramatically, and volleyball had extraordinary success last year. So first and foremost, please come to games. Other ways include hiring our student-athletes for any available part-time work in the summer. Many of our student-athletes prefer to remain in Emporia year round, and this helps them cover their expenses throughout the summer. Businesses can decorate their store fronts and marquees with ESU posters and other items. That is a great way to show support for ESU. Emporia State is, and should be, the focal point of our community. Not just in Athletics, but it is the leader in Theater, Art, Music and other entertainment opportunities. Anything our community can do to show their pride in ESU makes it easier for us to attract and retain students...not just student-athletes, but students in general. As ESU enrollment increases, athletics would benefit greatly, as would our entire community.
glarson: Posted by powercat - September 8, 2008, 2:42 p.m. With KU and KSTATE so close do you feel that hurts interest and attendance for ESU sports? What can you do to overcome that?
Kent Weiser: Hi powercat, The close proximity to KU and K-State probably has the most effect on football attendance, mainly due to the fact that there are only a hand full of home games. Early in my time at ESU we tried to move the starting times of our home games to not conflict with KU or KSU, but the fact that TV can change Division I game-times with six days notice made this impracticable. Add to that the fact that many fans make a day of it when they travel to Division I games, I don't see a way to schedule around them. What we can do to overcome that is to attract a market of our own. We've got to put a good product on the field, and do it with student-athletes that are good members of our community. I'm not sure we can take over the die hard KU or KSU fan, but perhaps we can attract new fans of our own.
glarson: Posted by powercat - September 8, 2008, 2:43 p.m. Should ESU really get rid of sports programs and put the money towards academics? What is the benefit of sports at the University when the athletes are not good enough to go onto professional sports?
Kent Weiser: Hi again powercat, I was going to continue answering the previous question, but when I saw this question I felt they were tied together, and I wanted to get to this one. There are really two answers to your question, one a very practical one, the other a more philosophical one. On the practical side, the fact that ESU offers intercollegiate athletics has a large positive impact on our total enrollment. The NCAA recently commissioned a study to see the financial impact that the Division II model of partial athletic scholarships has on an institution. It found that most Division II student-athletes pay some or most of their own college expenses outside of their athletics grant in aid, increase diversity on their campuses in a positive way, graduate at a rate higher than the student body in general, and have a positive impact on the institutions overall academic performance. At ESU we have some 330 student-athletes at any given time. There are many students who come here for the chance to participate, and then after a year or two decide they want to concentrate on their academic pursuits, yet they stay in school at ESU. There are many students who follow other students to ESU because their friend is going to play sports at ESU. My guess is that without an athletics program, it would cost ESU some 500 on campus students. Looking at it this way, it would not make financial sense to discontinue the program. On the philosophical side, intercollegiate athletics is a part of the educational program at ESU, as it should be at all universities in the country. Although we don't give out grades, the lessons our student-athletes learn by participating in athletics can be the most profound of their lives. Teamwork, self discipline, selflessness, and a strong work ethic are just of the few of the things student-athletes learn every day. They have to learn not to fear the fact that on any given day, they can fail in a very public setting. Ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic stereotypes are most easily broken down on the field of competitive sports, as teammates learn that striving for a common goal is more important than any kind of prejudice. Intercollegiate athletics also provides the student body, campus, and community with an entertainment opportunity like no other. College events are fun, and have been a big part of the college experience for all students. Keep in mind that less than one percent of college student-athletes at Division I earn a living playing their sport. Our mission at ESU is not to prepare student-athletes to go pro in their sports. If they have the talent to do so, they can get their through our programs, but it is not solely what we're here to do. We're here to help young people get an education, to compete in a sport that they love, and be good representatives of our University. Don't get me wrong, we're some of the most competitive people you'll find, and we want to win championships, but we're not going to sacrifice a student-athlete's future to do so. Some day, athletic careers will be over, and we want to make sure ESU student-athletes are prepared to live successful, productive lives. I believe Martina Navratilova said it best..."The moment of victory is much too short to live for that, and nothing else".
glarson: Posted by admireed - September 8, 2008, 3:44 p.m. Breakdown of scholarship equiv. for each sport for each conference member. Where is that information available?
Kent Weiser: Hi admireed, The U.S. Department of Education is probably your best bet to find the information you're asking about. Each year, institutions are required to complete a revenue and expense report for the Department of Education as part of the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act, or EADA. If you'd go the Department of Education web site, there should be a link to this information.
glarson: Posted by SFIns - September 9, 2008, 10:30 a.m. I was recently at a football game and I was appalled by the way the students were acting. They were using loud a vulgar language that did not reflect well for ESU? Why does ESU allow such behavior? And will ESU do anything in the future to control this type of behavior?
Kent Weiser: Hi SFIns, Showing respect for visiting teams, coaches, and officials is very important to ESU Athletics. My staff and I meet with students prior to and during games to remind them that they too, are representatives of our institution. Unfortunately, just a few students can cause problems, which in turn reflects poorly on the entire student body and ESU in general. We also try to have ESU Police Officers near the student sections in hopes of stopping such actions before they start. If we have students, or any fans, who consistantly get out of line, we'll remove them from the venue. Unfortunately, we are not successful 100% of the time. We'll continue to try to impress upon our students the importance of sportsmanship.
Moderator: That's all the time we have for today's chat. Our apologies to those whose questions Kent did not have time to answer. A print version of the chat will be published in Wednesday's Gazette.